NBA Executives Reportedly Think Jabari Parker Staying at Duke

There have been whispers about Jabari Parker possibly staying in school beyond this season, and according to Bulls.com, NBA execs (perhaps even those steering teams into TankVille) are starting to believe he won’t enter the Draft this summer:

Remember when that 2014 draft was so great? Last month? It’s taken some hits of late with Andrew Wiggins, the star of stars last year in high school, drawing questions from NBA scouts on readiness and even where he plays. Joel Embiid, now the consensus No. 1, has a high ceiling but is young and thin and in need of development. Marcus Smart can’t shoot. Julius Randle’s Kentucky team is out of the top 10. And the growing view among NBA executives seems to be Jabari Parker will not leave Duke this year. Chicagoan Jahlil Okafor, a Parker friend and big man, is going to Duke next season. Parker is a bright young man with a strong family and the feeling is he understands both the importance of education and feels he owes Duke and the chance to have a great Duke team, which more than likely is the next two seasons. Plus, Parker has seen what staying in school has done for other greats compared with the tough starts for even stars like Kobe Bryant.